PlayStation 4 to Get New Parental Controls, Notifications Management Features, and More

Debra Rodriguez

Outside of those visual and organizational enhancements, some entirely new features have been added to the roster.

If you've not been accepted into the beta, fret not, as Sony has provided a sneak preview of some of the major features you can expect when update 5.50 arrives.

Sony will be introducing "Play Time Management" with update 5.50. They can apply restrictions to ensure the child is only playing for a set amount of time or within set playable hours. All the while, notifications will be sent to the child accounts during play so they know when to save and quit. It now includes two new tabs with the "This PS4" tab, and the "PS Plus" tab. Through it, you're also able to search for games you own but don't now have installed.

PS Plus tab: This tab clarifies which games were downloaded from PS Plus' Monthly Free Games.

Speaking of Background Music, you'll now be able to listen to music while streaming a game on PS Now. However, users should note that certain games might not be enhanced by this new feature. This is the type of content most users will not return to, so it's nice to know they don't ever have to see them in their Library. They can do so via the pulldown menu under the Friends tab in Quick Menu.

If you'd like to be considered for all of our System Software Betas, in addition to completing enrolment for this System Software Beta, please also complete the general enrolment form below.

Other improvements include further options for the PlayStation 4 Quick Menu, including volume controls for music and some friends list changes.

When you're on the Media Player or the USB Music Player, "triangle" will work as the shortcut for play or pause, and the "square" button as the volume control.

Listening to music on the PS4 will now feature Quick Menu shortcuts. Oh well. There will always be another PS4 update!

Users will be able to permanently remove old notifications from their PS4 - for better organisation and management. You can zoom and crop the image before saving it as your background, so no need to fiddle with dimensions or resolution beforehand. Last but not least, there's a new option for tournament team pages that lets you customize logo and backgrounds as well as edit the profile of your team.

Play-time management: This utility is geared more to parents, or players who can't control their habit.

So while it is no PSN ID name change, the PS4 System Software Update 5.50 is quite substantial for anyone who owns a PS4 or PS4 Pro. Sony describes it as: "Certain games already have the "supersampling" benefits as part of their "PS4 Pro Enhanced" feature set, but this new mode can enhance the experience for those games that don't already have the feature".

'Supersampling Mode can improve the image quality of some games on a TV with 2K resolution or lower. A number of Pro-enabled games already have supersampling built-in, while this update extends the option to all games.

Best Buy removing CDs this July, keeping vinyl recordsFeb 07, 2018 - 01:47
Target is also considering pulling the format from its shelves, though are bargaining with labels over the decision. It's issued an ultimatum to music suppliers which will force them to take on all inventory risks for unsold discs.

Colts hire McDaniels as new coachFeb 07, 2018 - 01:46
McDaniels won five Super Bowl titles with the Patriots beginning his National Football League career with the team back in 2001. He was sacked during his second year with the Denver Broncos, with whom he posted an 11-17 mark during the 2009-10 seasons.

MFs fear inflows could fall by 50% if market mayhem continuesFeb 06, 2018 - 15:09
We aren't living in an island so there will be a ripple effect of what is happening in the world on Indian stock markets. Foreign institutional investors sold equities worth Rs 1,263.57 crore in yesterday's trade, as per provisional data.

Malcolm Butler: Patriots 'gave up on me' in Super BowlFeb 06, 2018 - 15:04
It will go down as one of his most controversial personnel moves as Patriots head coach, certainly one of his most surprising. The Patriots and Eagles had two of the best defenses in the league throughout the regular season and postseason.

Paul Ryan slammed over tweet praising tax cut for $1.50 pay riseFeb 05, 2018 - 06:33
The tax bill cost almost $1.5 trillion dollars, while the teacher in question is only seeing $1.50 extra in her weekly paycheck. It cited as one example Julia Ketchum of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, whose wages went up $1.50 a week, or $78 per year.

Nintendo Will Continue Supporting 3DS Alongside The SwitchFeb 05, 2018 - 06:33
REUTERS/Kim Kyung-HoonAn event guest plays with the Nintendo Switch in Tokyo, Japan during its announcement on January 13, 2017. The head of Nintendo has said he wants to support the Switch for much longer than the usual five or six-year console life.

South Africa: Nearly 1000 trapped miners rescuedFeb 05, 2018 - 06:32
This goes to demonstrate the attitude of management towards safety, said Mr Sahlulele Luzipo, Chairperson of the Committee. In a statement, the union calls on Sibanye-Stillwater to mobilise all resources to rescue the workers as soon as possible.

China opposes new United States nuclear strategyFeb 05, 2018 - 06:29
In his own statement, Trump said the updated strategy develops capabilities so that use of a nuclear weapon is less likely. China "has always kept its own nuclear forces at the minimum level required by national security", Mr Ren said.